Australia’s Darling Harbour gets an inflatable identity

Interbrand Australia has created ‘the world’s first inflatable identity’ for Sydney destination Darling Harbour.

The identity used on communications
The identity used on communications

Darling Harbour is a recreational and shopping precinct visited by more than 25 million people each year. It is operated by Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.

The identity used in publications
The identity used in publications

Mike Rigby, executive creative director of Interbrand Australia, says, ‘SHFA’s vision is “to make extraordinary places the world talks about”, so very simply our objective was to get the world talking.

Darling Harbour logotype
Darling Harbour logotype

‘To do this, we created the world’s first inflatable identity.’

Typefaces
Typefaces

The consultancy created an identity based on rounded type, with a balloon-like hero typeface.

The identity used on communications
The identity used on communications

This balloon effect is used on communications such as web and print campaigns, which shows the identity floating on water or suspended in the air.

Inflatable signage
Inflatable signage

Interbrand also created a series of physical balloons, which use the hero typeface and operate as signage and wayfinding around the precinct.

Creating the inflatable signage
Creating the inflatable signage

The balloon motif is used in the augmented reality app – developed with Explore Engage – which features navigational ‘balloon trails’, while users can also pop balloons to reveal special offers.

Balloons in the Darling Harbour app
Balloons in the Darling Harbour app

Rigby says, ‘This distinctive idea clearly and simply connects: communications, street furniture, wayfinding, uniforms and websites.’

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Comments
  • Miles Newlyn November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    It’s always a display of ignorance to claim a ‘world’s first’ if you haven’t really done any research. I did one in 1999, and there have been others.

  • C G November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    There have been ‘Umpteen’ inflatable indents created – but the above only really works when the type is actually 3D or placed on a 3D shape.

    The actual logotype is actually quite clumsy & given it will be used small on a lot of comms (as shown) legibility could be problematic and leave its audience ‘deflated’.

  • Ryan Tym November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Regardless of whether or not this is the first inflatable identity, it is, in my opinion a great piece of branding.

    For consumers, it creates an engaging, playful world that will excite children and adults alike – connecting with what was no doubt a very broad target audience.

    The ‘logo’ itself is a small part of this brand but, personally, I think it works very well at capturing the playful nature of the rest of the system without competing or distracting from the hero elements; the typography and balloon effect.

    Interbrand Sydney is a very capable agency and I am sure they have considered the logo working at a small scale. The reason that it looks small on the images above is because they represent brochure covers and 48 sheets that have been scaled down to 400px.

    This is a brave bit of branding that has moved Darling Harbour on tremendously, in a bold, creative direction.

    We should be encouraging more clients to embrace engaging, playful identity systems and having benchmarks and reference points such as this will help give peace of mind to the more apprehensive marketing manager.

    Rather than being negative, let’s focus on celebrating projects like this that deliver great branding, compelling storytelling and emotional connections to consumers.

  • D Conran November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I dpn’t think the comments are negative at all but realistic. The first is a reaction to the bold claim and the second to the reality and logistics of the actual logo.

    “The reason that it looks small on the images… (they) have been scaled down to 400px”

    Really! So when the logo needs to be used at a small size online in a footer amongst other logos its still going to work (can’t even see a small use version working)?

    Or will there be a caveat alongside stating that it works better big?

    Don’t get me wrong, I like it, the inflatables are amazing, but take that element away and I don’t see “great branding, compelling storytelling or emotional connections”.

  • Stevie Jeevie November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    In that case, I hereby lay claim to the world’s first:

    Breeze block identity© Sponge identity© Spaghetti hoops identity© Garlic paste identity© Cheddar Cheese identity© Blue Tack identity© Chickens arranged in a shape identity© Soil & grass identity© Identity made from another identity identity©

    …and some others that I’m still mulling over.

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